While I write a lot about wedding cakes, you are not limited to serving just a tiered cake for dessert at your wedding.  Many couples choose one or two desserts to serve their guests, or they create a buffet where their guests can choose from a selection of decadent desserts.

I’m a chocoholic, but I realize that not everyone is.  I also know that some people don’t love cake, so at our wedding, in addition to serving Ron Ben-Israel’s delicious chocolate cake, I also served two desserts.  Guests received either a chocolate lava cake (too much chocolate?) or a warm apple crumble.  The dessert was served in a medley so one guest got the chocolate one and the guest to the left received the apple one.  This way couples could share the two of them.

At my sister’s wedding, her caterer set up a dessert buffet (known in the ‘80s as a Venetian Table).  There was everything from chocolate fondue with fruit and pretzels for dipping, cookies, bars, brownies, pies, an assortment of cakes and a selection of fruit.

Don’t feel that you are limited to only serving wedding cake or cupcakes at your reception.  If you love pies, serve a variety of your favorite pies.  Are cookies more your thing?  Create a cookie bar.  I’m sure you’ve seen a candy bar at weddings you've attended.  I’ve been to a dozen weddings with a candy bar.

Now after reading this post on desserts you’re probably asking yourself why there’s a picture of a hamburger above.  Well, that’s not a hamburger.  It’s actually a chocolate and vanilla cupcake decorated with marmalade and marzipan to look like a cupcake.

I don’t know how appropriate it is for a wedding reception.  I guess that would depend on your type of party.  But if you’re having a fun and festive rehearsal dinner – like a backyard BBQ – it might be the perfect dessert.

Here’s the recipe:

To make hamburgers:

1. Take vanilla cupcakes and sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.
2. Cut them in 1/2 to create the bun.
3. Cut chocolate cake in circles and lay on top of the bottom cup cake to create the meat layer.
4. The mustard is an apricot marmalade with yellow food color.
5. Use raspberry marmalade for the ketchup.
6. The mayonnaise is a dollop of butter cream.
7. The lettuce and tomatoes are made from marzipan with green and red food color.
8. To assemble, follow the same process as creating a real hamburger: bottom bun, chocolate cake, mustard, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mayonnaise, and the top bun.

Basic Marzipan

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 4 cups ground almonds (or almond meal)
• 2 egg whites
• Powdered sugar

1. Sprinkle powdered sugar over a  wooden cutting board.
2. Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water.
3. Place the sugar and 2/3 cup water in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add cream of tartar and turn up the heat. Bring to a boil and cover, boiling, for 3 minutes.
5. Uncover and boil until the temperature reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
6. Place the saucepan in the cold water, stirring the sugar mixture constantly until it becomes thick and creamy.
7. Stir in the ground almonds and the egg whites, the place back over low heat and stir for 2 minutes more until the mixture is thick.
8. Separate marzipan into separate containers and mix in food coloring.
9. Spoon the marzipan onto your cutting board, and turn it with a spatula until it cools down enough to touch.
10. Coat your hands in powdered sugar and begin to knead the marzipan, working it until it is smooth and pliant.
11. Your marzipan can now be cut or molded into shapes.